Bishop Lucker Lecture draws crowd of 350 participants - awards presented

by Mark Kemmeter, Diocesan Coordinator of Staff

Little six-year-old Jason’s answer to this grandmother’s question about "how much do you love me?" was a sincere " . . . to infinity and beyond." That line, spoken by the character Buzz Lightyear in Walt Disney’s Toy Story, was used by Bishop Robert F. Morneau, Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Green Bay to help the audience recognize that spirituality is rooted in God’s loving call to a relationship that extends " . . . to infinity and beyond." Bishop Morneau was the speaker at the first annual Bishop Lucker Lecture on March 20 in Redwood Falls.

In his talk, Salt, Leaven and Light: A Vatican II Spirituality, that was generously sprinkled with humor and poetry, Bishop Morneau highlighted three major insights of a Vatican II spirituality. The first insight is, through the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist, every one of us is called to become holy. Secondly, spirituality is to be integrated into our everyday lives not just on Sundays. And, finally, Vatican II speaks with clarity about whose we are - we are God’s people - and what our purpose in life is - we have a mission to transform the world.

A video tape of the presentation is available through the Diocesan Office of Communications/Media Resource Center, (507) 359-2966; jweicherding@dnu.org.

Plans for next year’s lecture are nearly complete and the details will be announced as soon as they are available. Other adult enrichment opportunities are also being considered for sponsorship as the interest from the Lecture Fund grows " . . . to infinity and beyond."